1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to media broadcasts and, in particular, to a method, system, and computer program product for space-shifting media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Two lucrative and ubiquitous entertainment technologies are time-shifting and space-shifting features. Time-shifting means changing when someone will watch a media broadcast. TiVo and VCRs are popular time-shifting devices. Space-shifting means changing where someone will watch a media broadcast. Media center devices that stream media from a computer to a television in another room, or which copy audio/video to a hand-held device are examples of space-shifting. Time-shifting and space-shifting can be used in combination or in exclusion of each other. Media encompasses many forms of broadcast material including, television and high-definition television broadcasts, radio and audio broadcasts, web casts, streaming video, etc.
One challenge with technologies that employ real-time space-shifting, such as, for example, streaming from one device to another, is moving locations. With current technology, if a person is watching a movie streamed over his/her home network from the upstairs computer to the downstairs television, via a media center hub, and another, second, person wants him/her to watch the movie on the television in an upstairs bedroom, there are inconvenient steps that have to be performed. The steps comprise: 1) changing the downstairs television to whatever media the second person desires to watch, 2) either the first person or another person needs go to the other device location, turn everything on and go through the media center menus to select the movie that the first person was watching, 3) and then fast forward or skip to wherever the first person left off watching the movie, or close to it at least. There are additional steps if the second person had been watching something on another device that he/she now wants to switch to the downstairs television.